Saudi Ministry Bans Chinese Toothpastes

10.03.07

SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Arabia has removed from shelves seven brands of toothpaste produced in China. All had traces of diethylene glycol, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The banned brands are Best, Smile2, Shine, Acura2, Special2, Moon Light and Zain.

The ministry­ ordered the removal from shops and destroyed samples; it also ordered laboratories not to allow any Chinese toothpaste to be marketed before checking for diethylene glycol.

Meanwhile, Gilchrist & Soames, an Indianapolis-based company that supplies toiletries to hotels, started a voluntary recall after independent tests showed some toothpaste samples contained diethylene glycol. The company, which imported the toothpaste from Ming Fai Enterprises International Co. in China, said it had distributed the tubes to hotels in Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Britain, France and Italy.